5 Things You Need To Know Before Moving To Utah

Everything you need to know before moving to the valley

Before moving anywhere you should always consider the following: the culture, the weather, and the job market. For most moving to a new place can be daunting when you're not familiar with the area. Here are five things you should know before moving to Utah.

1) There's a strong presence of the LDS Chruch.

As the founding state of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it shouldn't come as a surprise that much of the culture within Utah is influenced by the church. According to the Salt Lake Tribune's 2014 archives (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., in Utah County, the population "is 82.26 percent Mormon." The predominant faith within the state takes hold in many aspects of the community, recently that has included legislation. 

2) Expect construction projects to be year round.

The recent state funding has begun to tackle Utah roads in the upcoming years. According to the Utah Department of Transportation, there are currently 20 active projects on Utah roads. Utah state funds have alotted for the I-15 sound bound project a total of, "$180 million dollars in state funds, which accounts for the environmental study, design, and construction." Construction on I-15 southbound has been estimated to take two years. 

3) Utah is home to Silicon Slopes. 

Around the slopes in Utah, you may find that the mountains don't just host major ski resorts but also major tech companies. The area referred to as silicon slopes, span from Logan to St. George. According to the Silicon Slopes the region, "is a state-wide organization and the official moniker of Utah’s startup and tech community." Utah has been named one of the best places to do business in the nation by Forbes Magazine because of the business coming from the slopes.

4) Voting Red. 

Utah has a long history of identifying as a red state. In the recent midterm elections, the Republican Party held on to the majority votes within the state. According to POLITICO, Senator Mitt Romney won the Senate seat with a 62.6 percent. Republicans held the U.S House of Representatives seat in the 1st congressional district. Utah has been deemed by the New York Times as "a safe state for Republicans."

5) Prepare for all four seasons. 

In Utah, you can come to expect all four seasons: fall, winter, spring, summer. Sometimes they might all happen in one day. As home to the best snow on earth, you should plan accordingly and think about purchasing snow tires. According to current results, northern Utah receives an average of 90.8 inches of snow annually.